James mccormick



(No ModeL) CARRIAGE SPRING.

PaentLfdy Nv. 4, 1884.l

I Mill @sufran Sira'rns iiiairisivi Ori-uen.

JAMES MGOORMICK, OF POTSDAM, NEV YORK.

CARRIAGEfSPRINC.

QPCIFIGATZON forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,724, dated November'4t, 1884.

Application le.l August l5. ISS-1.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MoCoRluicx, ol the town of Potsdam, county oi'St. Lawrence, and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in the Springs ofOarriages and Light wragons; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which like letters of .reference represent like parts, andin which Figure l is a perspective View oi'l a carriagebody andaxle-frame having my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe samewith the body removed.

In ordinary carriages and light wagons wherein the body is raised fromthe axle-frame by the interposition of the common elliptic springs thereis a constant tendency to rack and strain the latter by reason ol theimparted momentum continuing to act upon the carriage-body after thewheels and axle-frame have reached a partial or entire state of rest.Especially is this so in those sudden stoppages occasioned by the wheelsin rapid revolution striking obstructions, which tend not only to stopthe progress of the vehicle, but to set in violent vertical vibrationthe springs themselves. l'n this way breakages both of the springs andof their i'astenings to the axleframe and the carriage-body areconstantly occurring. Various means have been heretoi'ore devised havingin purpose the overcoming` ot' this tendency to breakage. In none,however, with which Iam acquainted, has the iinportant function of theedge-bend7 elliptic spring been retained, while at the same time holdingthe body firmly to the same with a constant elastic pressure.

To this end my improvement consists in supporting the ordinary carriageor light-wagon box or body upon the vehicle or axle-frame by means of afront and rear elliptic edge-bend spring, set each with its upper halfor portion inclined toward the other, to form, with the bottom ofthebody, a iirm brace, and combining therewith a central longitudinalspring, secured at each end to the axle-frame, and in the middle by anadjustable strap or other device to each side of the body. The body isthus clastically braced against unrestrained (No nimlehl movement in anydirection. Its momentum cannot rack the elliptic springs at their earsor joints. and thus cause the same to work loose and become rickety, forthey are braced against each other, and no bounce, however sudden orsevere, can throw the body upward to the derangement or detriment of theedgebend springs, for the central longitudinal spring holds the bodylirnily, but yieldingly, upon the said springs, and these to their seatupon the axle frame; nor can the elliptic springs strike each other attheir centers on the rebound, the edge bend permitting the top halt'of'each spring to go freely past the bottom hall thereof.

A is the ordinary box or body o'f a carriage or light road-wagon.

B' B are the front and rear axles, respectively.

C C are the perches or reaches coupling the front and rear axles, andthus 'forming the vehicle or axle frame.

l D D are the cross-bars, secured to the reaches near to and parallelwith the axles. To these cross-bars is attached centrally, by anysuitable means, the single longitudinal spring E. This spring isreversed with reference to the box or body, its normal action being tocounteract any upward movements oil" the said body. To this end it issecured to the box or body by an adjustable device, such as straps F F,one of which passes up from each side of the spring to the bottom of thebody at or near its side margins.

To give the spring liberty to expand and contract under the saltatorymovements of the edgebend springs that support the carriage-body whenthe vehicle strikes an obstruction, as well as to .meet the necessitiesof the varying adjustments of the same with reference to thecarriage-body and the axle-frame, respectively, provision must be madefor its loose or free connection with the fixed parts ofthe axle-'frameA ny free attachment may be employed; but I preferably use the ordinaryshackle, which allows perfect freedom of movement, is wholly secure, andnot liable to break.

G G- are the edge-bend elliptic springs upon which the box or body issupported. Their upper halves are secured to the sills or bol- ICO stersof the body bottom, and their lower l halves are fastened to theaxle-frame by any suitable means. These springs, which I term edge-bendor circle-bench7 have each the upper half on the center on one side of avertical plane passing through the ears, while the other or bottom halfat the center is on the opposite side of the said vertical plane. Bythis construction the two halves can freely pass each other when thesprings collapse without their centers coming into contact. I set thefront spring with its top half inclined backward, while the rear springhas its top half inclined forward, thus forming a permanent brace whenunited to the body, preventing all swaying and back-and-forth movementof the bodyindependent of the movement of the running-fratrie.

rlhe construction being as described, it is apparent that a light, firm,elastic attachment of the body to the axle-frame is secured. The centrallongitudinal spring, by its adjustable attachment to the outer marginsof the bodybottom, binds the same firmly, but yieldingly, to the bracingedge-bend elliptic springs, preventing thus both lateral strain as wellas longitudinal rocking of the elliptic springs. In other words, by myconstruction I secure a twofold function for the edge-bend springs byadding the central longitudinal spring, whose normal action does notimpair but adds to the function of the said springs, causing them to actwith the body as braces each to the other, and at the same time tofulfill their normal function as e'dge-bend springs;

It is manifest that departures lnay be made in the arrangement andconstruction of the parts herein described and shown. rlhese, however,coming within the scope of my improvenients, I do not in any mannerabandon, being within the spirit of my invention.

I have preferably shown and described a single central longitudinalspring to hold with elastic pressure the carriage-body to the running oraxle frame, wherein the said body is supported upon the edge bendsprings described; but it is manifest that my invention embraces notonly a central longitudinal spring, by which to secure, in thecombination recited, the advantages I have set forth, but that anyequivalent form of spring or springs-such as side springs or endspringsby the intervention of which the edge-bend elliptic springs aremade to act as elastic braces to support and hold the carriage-body tothe axle-frame, may be employed instead.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

l. The combination, with the carriage body or box and the axle-frame, ofthe edge-bend front and rear elliptic springs inclined toward each otherto form a brace, andthe central longitudinal spring secured to theaxle-frame, and having means for attachment to the body, whereby thebody is normally held with yielding pressure upon the said edge-bendelliptic springs as set forth.

2. The combination, with the carriage body or box and the axle-frame, ofthe edge-bend front and rear elliptic springs inclined toward each otherto form a brace, and the central longitudinal spring secured to theaxle-frame, and having adjustable means for attachment to the body,whereby the same is normally held wit-h yielding pressure upon the saidedge-bend elliptic springs, and theforce of the said pressure is adaptedto be regulated and controlled to suit the same to the varying weightsbrought to bear upon the springs, as set forth.

' JAMns McooRMIcK.

